Prepayment-meter.



No. 667,067. v Patented 1an. 29, |90I. F. P. COX. `PREPAYMENI' METER.

(Application iled Apr. 14,1898.)

(No Model.)

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FRANK P. COX, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

PREPAYMENT-VIETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,067, dated January 29, 1901.

Application led April 14, 1898.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. COX, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Prepayment-Meters, (Case No. 669,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of prepayment devices in which the insertion of a suitable coin or token in a receptacle sets the parts of the apparatus in operative relation to deliver an article 0r to permit the passage of a prepaid amount of energy.

In prepayment-meters or other devices having motors to control it is desirable to employ the coin or token to complete the motorcircuit; but in most instances the current which is owing through the motor is of sufiicient quantity to burn the coin or token at the time it interrupts the circuit.

My invention has for its object to overcome the objection above referred to; and to this end I employ a relay-magnet for controlling the main circuit, the circuit of the relay being completed by the insertion of the proper coin or token. By this arrangement current flowing in the relay-circuit can be made as small as desired, so that arcing at the time the circuit is interrupted will not destroy the coin or token, and the switch may be arranged to make and break the circuit of the motor without regard to the amount of current flowing therein.

In the accompanying drawings is shown an embodiment of my invention applied to an electric meter, in which- Figure l is a front elevation-of a meter. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the device employed to prevent improper rmanipulation of the switch mechanism. Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the switch mechanism, and Fig. 6 is a diagram of the circuit connections.

My invention has been shown in connection with an electric meter, as it has particular utility in this connection; but, if desired, it may be applied equally well to other prepayment devices in which the coin or token is employed to complete an electric circuit, as in prepayment fan-motcrs, -for example.

Serial No. 677,527 (No model.)

Mounted on a frame A are the operative parts of the meter,comprising stationary fieldcoils B, an armature C, mounted for revolution within the iniiuence of the field-coils, a damping-disk D, mounted on the armatureshaft and revolving between the poles of permanent magnets E, and a train of gears F, operatively connected to a Worm G on the upper end of the armature-shaft.

Mounted on the frame A in front of the train of gears is a plate H, provided with a coin-chute H', adapted to receive one or more coins or tokens I for closing the circuit of the meter. To prevent improper manipulation of the meter-as, for example, closing the circuit by means of a wire-a coin-receiver J is mounted on the upper end of the coin-chute, into which all coins or tokens must be deposited before they will be permitted to pass the meter. The coin-receiver consists of a circular plate J, that is greater in diameter than the coin-chute and is provided with pocket J2, as shown in Fig. 3, into which the coin is dropped by the person desiring electric energy or its equivalent. The coin-receiver is tted closely into a receptacle formed on the upper end ot' the coin-chute, and its edgesj being comparatively sharp and being arranged to pass in close proximity to the sides j of the chute when the receiver is rotated any piece of string or similar material attached to a coin in the chute for the purpose of holding the coin in a position to maintain the circuit closed will be severed, or if the string be of sufficient size the coin-receiver will be prevented from rotating and the coin cannot complete the circuit. To the coin-receiver is secured a shaft K, and surrounding the shaft is a sleeve K', which is keyed to the operating-handle K2. Between the handle and the shaft is a spiral spring L, which is connected at one end to the handle and at the other end to a stationary part of the coinchute H. Secured to the front plate of the coin-chute is a pin M, adapted to be engaged by the projections lo and k on the operatinghandle and limit its movement. As shown, the parts are in their normal position and in readiness to receive a coin. Upon the insertion of a suitable coin in the receptacle .I the handle K2 is rotated manually against the action of spiral spring L until projection 7.? strikes against pin M and arrests further movement. At or about the instant projection 7a strikes the stop M the coin in the receiver drops into the chute preparatory to closing the circuit ot' the meter. As soon as the operating-handle K2 is released spring L returns it to its normal position.

Situated at the end of the coin-chute H', Figs. -1- and 5, is a contact-spring N and a post N', both of which are connected to one side of an electric circuit. The contact and post are s0 situated thateach coin or token passing through the chute will make contact therewith. Situated opposite the contact-spring is a pivoted coin-holder O, normally retained in the position shown by the spring O'. The left-hand side of the coin-holder has a straight edge along which the coin or token rolls after it has been released and continues to maintain the circuit which has been established between the holder and the spring N, the coin-holder and its support being connected to the opposite side ot the circuit. The righthand side of the coin-holder is provided with a curved cam-surface O2, and engaging therewith are projections P 011 the cam-wheel P. The cam-wheel is mounted on shaft P3 of the registering-train and is geared by any suitable form of reducing-gearing to the armatureshaft C. A coin or token I, upon dropping down to the position shown in Fig. 2, will complete the circuit of the meter in a manner hereinafter described, and the circuit will remain closed until cam-wheel P is rotated by the armature and gearing to a position where the projections P are out of engagement with the cam-surface O2 of the coin-holder. At the instant one of the projections P leaves the cam-surface O2 the coin-holder O is forced against stop Q, the coin or token released, and the next succeeding coin, if there be one, caught and held in the same manner as the irst coin. By this arrangement any desired number of coins or tokens may be inserted in the coin-chute and the consu mer will receive energy so long as any of the coins remain in the chute.

In a majority of cases where the coin or token is employed to form a part of the cir cuit of an electric motor it will be more or less injured by arcing at the time it interrupts the circuit. To attain the advantages of employing the coin to complete the circuit without burning the coin at the time it is released, a relay-magnet R is employed, which is mounted on the side of the frame A. Situated under the magnet and controlled thereby is a switch S, which opens and closes the circuit of the motor. The circuit of the relay is made and broken by the coin I as it passes downward through the coin-chute.

In Fig. 6 are illustrated the circuit connections of the meter. The held-coils B are connected in circuit with the main a, and main b is provided with a switch Sfor opening and closing the load-circuit of the consumer and also that of the meter. The armature C is connected across the mains a and b and provided with the usual resistance T for reducing the current flowing therein. One end of the energizing-coils of the relay-magnet R iS connected to terminal U, which also forms one terminal for switch S, and the other end is connected to coin-holder O. The springcontact N and post N are connected to main d', which is the opposite side of the circuit. The coin I completes the relay-circuit, which energizes magnet R, and switch S closes the meter and consumption circuits. After the consumer has used the prepaid amount of energy cam P will release the coin-holder O and the coin will drop into a suitable receptacle in the meter. After each coin or token I has assumed the position shown in Fig. -tthat is to say, is held between the spring N and the cam O-thc consumer can include the consumption devices in circuit andthe meter will`start into operation. After the meter-z nmature has made a certain number of revolutions one of the projections P on the cam-wall I will engage with the cam O and gradually move it to the position shown in Fig. 5. This permits the coin or token to drop slightly until it strikes the post N', where it is held until the projection P has passed out of engagement with the cam. As soon as this occurs the coin or token drops into a suitable receptacle, and if there is no other coin or token on deposit the relay-inagnet permits the switch S to open the circuit. If, however, there is a second coin or token on deposit, it is caught between the cam and the contact, and the operation continues as before.

What 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. In a coin-controlled mechanism for an electric meter, the combination of a fieldmagnet, an armature mounted for movement within the influence of the field-magnet, a relay-magnet, terminals therefor arranged to be bridged by a coin or other token to complete the circuit of the relay-magnet, which terminals and coin or token form a part of the relay-circuit at all times while the motor is in operation, and a switch controlled by the relay for closing the motor-circuit.

2. In a coin-controlled mechanism for an electric motor, the combination of a serieseld magnet, an armature connected in shunt to the mains, a relay-magnet, terminals therefor adapted to be bridged by a coin or token to complete the circuit, the said coin or token and terminals forminga part of an electric circuit at all times while the motor is in operation, and a switch controlled by the relaymagnet for closing the armature and iieldcircuit of the motor.

3. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination of a field-magnet which is influenced by changes of load in the consumers circuit, an armature which is inliuenced by the potential of the system, a switch for making ICO ILO

and breaking the cousumers circuit, a relaymagnet which controls the action of the switch, and is always included in circuit when the' motor is in operation, and coin or token controlled mechanism for the relay.

4. In a prepayment electric meter, the combination of a field-magnet which is influenced by change of load in the consumers circuit, an armature which is influenced by the potential of the system, a switch for making and breaking the consumers circuit, a relaymagnet which controls the action of the switch and is always included in an electric circuit so long as the motor is in operation, and terminals arranged to be bridged by the coin or token, which are connected to the relaymagnet.

5. In a prepayment motor mechanism, the combination of a frame for supporting the motor, a coin-controlled mechanism mounted on the frame, a magnet also supported by the frame for actuating a switch, and means regulated by the coin-controlled mechanism for assisting in energizing the magnet.

6. In a prepayment motor mechanism,the combination of a substantially rectangular frame, a field-coil supported thereby,a coincontrolled mechanism mounted on the top of the frame, a magnet mounted on the side of the frame, contacts controlled by the prepayment mechanism for completing the circuit of the magnet, and a switch pivotally secured to the frame and cont-rolled by the magnet.

7. The combination with a coin-chute, of two normally open circuits, and means within the coin-chute for causing the closing of both circuits, and holding them closed during the entire operation of the apparatus.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of April, 1898.

FRANK P. COX.

WVitnesses:

DUGALD MCKILLOP, HENRY O. WESTENDARP. 

